Crystal Palace are set to sack manager Pierre Sage following Sunday's 3-1 Premier League defeat by Liverpool.
The Frenchman had come under increasing pressure after a poor run of results left Palace bottom of the table with seven points from 10 matches. Sunday's loss at Selhurst Park was their fourth consecutive defeat in the league.
Defeat against Liverpool
Palace had shown some attacking promise against Liverpool but were punished for defensive mistakes. Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring before Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak extended the visitors' advantage. Eddie Nketiah scored a late penalty, but it was not enough to prevent another defeat.
Sage's appointment and struggles
Sage was appointed in June on a three-year contract after impressing with Lens, whom he guided to second place in Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France.
His difficult start at Palace has been attributed partly to the departure of several key players and problems with recruitment, but defensive weaknesses have also raised concerns about his tactical approach.
Manager's response
Following Sunday's game, Sage insisted he remained focused on improving the team rather than worrying about his own position.
When asked whether he expected to remain in charge after the international break, he replied: "Better than you, I think."
He also said: "Today my job is not the most important thing, as I always said from the beginning. The most important thing is to find an efficient solution for the team and the club."
The club are set to begin a search for a new manager during the international break.
